Smoke-free city: 39 challaned on Day 1 of drive

On the first day of the drive to make Jalandhar a smoke-free city, as many as 39 persons were challaned and a fine amount of Rs 5,600 collected from the offenders.

District health officer Dr Ashwani Sondhi said: "A fine ranging from Rs 10 to Rs 200 was charged from the offenders under tobacco and other smoking products Act.

Meanwhile, as many as 36 food samples of the 298 collected failed to clear the purity test. Civil surgeon Dr RL Bassan said the health authorities had collected 298 samples between January and October, of which 36 were found either substandard or misbranded.

The DHO said proceedings had been launched against the shopkeepers and business operators whose samples had failed. He said a fine ranging between Rs 10,000 to Rs 5 lakh would be slapped on the erring vendors under the food safety and standards Act.

Dr Bassan said if these vendors were found indulging in repeated violations, their licence could be cancelled.